impact

Simon Sinek, marketing consultant, and
motivational speaker uses a model for “inspirational leadership” where at the
center of three circles is the “golden circle;” essentially, the “why.” With his book, Start with Why, Simon Sinek provides examples of how
famous leaders communicated their why and
were able to have success when others were unable. The principles they used can
apply to individuals, small groups, or even conglomerates. For example, a company has a Why, each team
in that company has a Why, and every individual on that team has a Why.

The
WHY of any organization isn’t about making a profit. Instead, it is the
purpose, cause, or overall belief of the group. It is not uncommon for an organization to
confuse the WHY with another circle, the HOW or the WHAT. Members of the team may not even know WHY
they exist because the focus is on making a product or how to provide a service. But, make no mistake that the WHY is the
reason an organization exists. Clearly communicating the WHY is the best chance one
has to get all interested parties involved.

The
HOW sets an organization apart from others that share similar
characteristics. It is a unique twist on
a service or product that could provide a step above competitors. Most affiliated with the organization
understand the HOW because there is considerable energy there to create the
best WHAT possible.

Finally, the WHAT is known by all in the organization. Whether it is a product or service, people
naturally look at the end result. In this case, the
WHAT is the outer circle.

In all types of work, change must take place
to keep up. Providing a strong reason
for making a change, and communicating it clearly with staff, will ease much of
the pushback from those the change will effect.
Providing your “why” will hopefully inspire staff to follow because they
will have a purpose.

The
WHY of CLI

Identifying the parts of your Golden Circle can
be easier by seeing a relatable example. Refer to the one below showing the
WHY, HOW, and WHAT for Curriculum Leadership Institute.

Finding
Your Own Why

Authors David
Mead and Peter Docker have published the book Find Your Why to assist
organizations in digging deeper to determine the Why. They believe a good Why statement is

Simple and Clear for
understanding and sharing with others.

Free of Whats but includes
the real reason people love the organization.

Includes
a Human Service Component and Impact for Others.

In Affirmative Language to provide inspiring words.

Important
to Feel Right.

The
first step in creating a Why is to fill in the blanks: To _____ so that _____. The first blank should include the
contribution intended for others, and the second blank should be the impact as
a result of that contribution. It could
take a few drafts to find that perfect Why, so have your pencil sharpened and
revise until it resonates and feels right! Here is a shortened example from CLI’s Why to
get you going. To impact learning for students
through professional development so that students receive a quality education.

Why Even Have a Why?

While it may be difficult to determine your Why, it is critical for clarity of a focus and vision. There is a reason the Why is the golden circle in the center of all of the circles. Once the Why is identified, it becomes part of the culture. Developing strategies, hiring employees, and communicating with a purpose will be simpler once the Why becomes the focus for all.